Tavaar - 69th Edition

So I've been playing around with the blog's layout. Not sure I'm keen on the new colors, but I like the wider column. If you have an opinion to render on the subject I would be pleased to know it. Same with Tavaar's backstory.

I skipped Tavaar's meeting with her husband. That involved some lovemaking which I'm not keen to put in right now. Then Sashwa arrived in a mood. Tavaar made a joke and suggested she leave the twins alone. Of course that did not go well with Sashwa or Wheylin.

This next bit doesn't really offer much in the way of plot or anything. But then there is no real plot to Tavaar's background. It's just background. It's also a bit longer than 500-words. But Shello has a cute story I wanted to include.

Khaiu’s evaluation proved true. Sampka was doing a thorough job of questioning each warrior. This made the entire company uneasy. It was impossible not to whisper and guess what was going on. After lunch, the tension wore heavy. Tavaar decided to give at least some warriors a respite. She sent Nayvahl and Sashwa’s teams out on patrol, although there was no real need. Sashwa’s was given the added instruction of bringing back supper. Shello left with Nayvahl and Khaiu with Sashwa. Tavaar remained in camp.

The High Command had taken an austere attitude. They remained at Kelenbah’s old hut. They took a couple of short breaks before supper. After supper, there were no interviews, but they remained apart, apparently discussing testimony. They had interviewed a little more than half the company. Tavaar was relieved it had been with the warriors most likely to be critical of her. Those that remained were more friendly. During supper, Tavaar had all the squad leaders sit with Khaiu and Shello. The rest of the company sat near, for the two brothers were relating some of their experiences from down south – beyond family lands. They had actually gone as far south as Dark Lake. This put them in a near mythical region under the shadow of the Troll Mountains. The rumors were the region was haunted by an assortment of frightening creatures. Shello, speaking dramatically, gave his feelings about the place.

“Well, as to what can be found in the lake, all I’m ready to say is, there is a reason it was named Dark Lake.”

“Why?” blurted out Hehnfit, who had crept close.

Khaiu gave him a look. “It’s dark,” he said, drawing a wave of laughter at Hehnfit's expense.

“But it’s real dark!” said Shello.

“But what’s in the lake?” Hehnfit asked.

“Water,” said Khaiu.

More laughter. Hehnfit was both embarrassed and put out.

“Yes, but what about the creatures that live in the water?” he asked. “I’ve heard there are monsters in there. Did you see anything? And don’t tell me fish!”

“Well, Klarissa and I saw creatures in the water, and they certainly were not fish,” said Shello, his voice low and alarming. Several of the younger warriors leaned forward, the hair on their arms raised. “We were on our way back to camp. No one else was with us. Then, we saw them. There were two. I think they may have been a mating pair, for they were engaged in some bizarre behavior. Knowing how wild things can be at such times, we moved very cautiously.”

Tavaar found herself glancing at Khaiu, to see if anything about his manner would lend credibility to Shello’s tale. Shello expounded on how the two creatures splashed and chased each other through water probably no deeper than his waist. The male made a horrible call that hurt their ears and echoed into the forest, but the female seemed to like it. They were fairly hairless creatures, although not completely. Amazingly, unlike other wild creatures Shello had seen, the male was not the one with greater beauty. In fact, he was hardly worth noticing at all. The female, on the other hand, was quite beautiful.

“What kind of creatures were they? What are they called?” asked Quehlit.

Shello’s face was intense, as though loth to speak. When he did, it was practically a whisper. “Well, I can only tell you what I call them.”

“What?” several asked at once.

“Khaiu and Tura.”